Exeter grad Carman grows into staff ace for Southern Maine

GORHAM, Maine — Logan Carman's baseball career at the University of Southern Maine began at neither the right position, nor with the right tone.

Mike Zhe

GORHAM, Maine — Logan Carman's baseball career at the University of Southern Maine began at neither the right position, nor with the right tone.

These days, the former Exeter High School and Post 32 slugger is a preseason All-American in Division III, the returning staff ace on a good Southern Maine team that enters the year ranked No. 2 in the country by D3baseball.com.

A big reason for the ranking is what the Huskies did a year ago, going 46-10, winning the Little East Conference again and finishing as the runner-up to Linfield (Ore.) at the College World Series.

Carman, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound left-hander, went 12-0 with a 1.62 ERA in 13 starts as a junior, striking out 56 and walking 20 in 89 innings.

It was a far cry from his freshman year, when he was walking in ... well, late.

"He was tiptoeing through the water to see where he was at," said USM manager Ed Flaherty. "He hadn't been exposed to much (high-level baseball) and did things his own way.

"We had a long discussion, Logan and I, down in the right-field bullpen. Since that day, he's been right on top of everything he's done."

Carman, asked if he remembered that conversation, chuckled.

"I had a few conversations with him," he acknowledged. "I had some problems with being late, not really being that responsible. It got pretty bad there my freshman year."

Now, things are looking pretty good.

Carman is again expected to handle the role of staff ace when the Huskies open their new season Feb. 28 against Baruch (N.Y.). With a staff that includes pitchers like Andrew Richards (11-2, 1.72 ERA) and Chris Bernard (5-2, 3.44 ERA), USM is again the team to beat in the Little East and a legitimate CWS contender.

Many feel Carman, with his pitching record and pro-size body, can put himself in position to hear his name called when Major League Baseball holds its draft in early June.

"I think he's a draftable kid," said Flaherty.

A home-schooled student who grew up in Newfields and played at Exeter High School, Carman said he'd attracted Division I interest from Marist and Canisius. But he liked the coaches at USM — including Bob Prince, who's since taken over at UMass-Dartmouth — and he liked not being too far from home.

Recruited as both a hitter and pitcher, it was during fall workouts that coaches got a better look at his arm and made the mound his permanent home. His pitched in six games that first year, faring well, and started 12 as a sophomore, going 4-3 with a 4.97 ERA.

"I just learned how to become a pitcher," said Carman. "I always threw pretty hard. But I just threw."

USM pitching coach Kevin Smith helped with developing some pitches. In addition, he's been a frequent guest at Cressey Performance in Hudson, Mass., since the fall after his freshman year, working with owner Eric Cressey on strength and conditioning, and pitching coordinator Matt Blake.

"He's always had pitchability," said Blake. "He had some good pieces. It was just a matter of refining them and making them more consistent.

By "pitchability," Blake is talking about Carman's ability to locate and sequence his pitches. His velocity with his fastball tops out in the high 80s, but because he's able to consistently locate it, and back it up with a good change-up and curveball — he plans to work in a cutter, as well, this season — he can get people out.

"He was a little frustrated (last) winter as we nit-picked his delivery," said Blake. "Once he kind of got rolling (for USM) his numbers just kept going down and down. It was impressive to watch from afar."

With fellow Exeter High School and Post 32 player Carson Cross missing his redshirt junior season at UConn with shoulder surgery, Carman could be at or near the top of the draft class among Seacoast products.

One of Carman's high points last year was his shutout against Endicott in the NCAA regional final that lifted the Huskies into the CWS. At one point in that game, Flaherty found himself standing next to assistant coach Ed Boyce and marveling at the pitcher's progress.

"I said to Eddie Boyce, 'Can you believe the difference from two years ago with this kid?'" said Flaherty.

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